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FotoFest 2012 International Bienniel

Last month, I attended the third week of the FotoFest 2012 International Bienniel, now in its fourteenth year, in Houston. This has become the largest international portfolio review event in the nation. It was an honor to participate as a reviewer representing MOPA and a pretty incredible experience overall. It’s a way to see work from photographers who are creating now and to be united with colleagues, some of whom I’d met before and some I was meeting for the first time. Not a bad gig.

What does it mean to attend as a reviewer? Well, here’s a break down of what the four days were like. Each day as a reviewer began at 9:00 sharp. That’s when the first photographer, out of 13 for the day, would come to my table and I’d get 20 minutes to meet them, see their work, and hear about their project. It’s like speed dating! After reviews, there were visits to galleries and museums, openings to attend, and mingling with creative minds. By the end of this first day of reviews, my head was spinning with some wonderful images and people I had met. And I still had three more go!

All in all, the time flew by and I saw some extremely compelling photography.I saw three bodies of work that brought me to tears and others that were so well done, I anticipate the opportunity to show their work at MOPA. A colleague of mine from PDN posted a blog asking fellow reviewers for their highlights. You can read about one of my most memorable reviews, as well as many others on PDN Pulse. Be prepared for some great highlights!